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Monday, September 09, 2013

Federal Cake and Artificial Wine.

Here in Australia the federal election is over and we
can now reclaim our radio and television pleasures free (relatively) from assault
by political rhetoric, abuse, debate, posturing, opinion, predictions, polls
and all of the other election-associated hype.

Today’s recipe choice was inspired by the election. Whether
you are energised by the political process or relieved that we have a few years
before we have to go through it again, I hope you enjoy the Federal Cake, which
I found in The Citizens' and Farmers'
Almanac (Baltimore, 1833) tucked between items on the ‘Moon’s Phases’ and ‘Anatomy
of Man’s Body as said to be governed by the Constellations.’

Federal Cake.

Mix
together one pound of sifted flour, half a pound of butter, half a pound of
powdered sugar, two eggs, well beaten, half a glass of rose-water; and a tea spoonful
of mixed spice. Make these ingredients into a dough, with a little cold water.
When thoroughly mixed, spread it out on your paste-board, and cut it into
little cakes, with diamond or heart-shaped tins. Lay them in buttered pans, and
bake them a few minutes in a moderate oven.

The same edition of the Almanac also contained the following recipe, which I give for your
interest only. I can hardly suggest you try these concoctions, as I have no
idea what ‘alcoholized nitric ether’
might do to you. ‘Gum kino’ is obtained from various tropical plants and is apparently
used as an astringent and in tanning, but I do not know if it is toxic to
humans, so Watch This Space, please.

Artificial Port
Wine.

The
Russians make their port wine thus:- Cider three quarts, French brandy one
quart, gum kino one drachm. And the French restaurateurs imitate successfully
old hock by the following mixture: Cider three quarts, French brandy one quart,
alcoholized nitric ether one drachm.